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This fall, we're offering two different series of three classes each for producers, independent filmmakers, and content creators - The Producing Track and The Budgeting Track.

Interested in understanding the job of a Producer? Looking to raise funds for a project or manage yours effectively and efficiently? Producing, production managing, or working as a 1st AD on an indie short, feature, or series?

These two series of workshops will cover the basics - what does a producer do, crew positions, definitions, responsibilities, and hierarchy, what is development, what it entails, and why it’s the most important part of the process, how to breakdown, schedule, and budget your movie, what should be included in a business proposal and why. We’ll discuss the basics from concept to completion to give you a leg up on your next project. If you don’t have a current project to workshop in the Budgeting Track, one will be provided.

It is highly recommended that you take all three classes in each series, and taking both series will greatly expand your knowledge of the business of production. Each class lays the foundation for the next.

For example, you can’t schedule your movie without a breakdown and you can’t budget your movie without a schedule. And if you don’t understand the role of a producer and the development process, it’s highly unlikely that you will craft a business proposal with the elements needed to raise the funds for your project or ultimately get distribution that is favorable to investor ROI.

Paying someone to breakdown your script elements properly can be very expensive. Using the tagging function in Final Draft and importing it without doing the actual breakdown work keeps you from an intimate understanding of the work at hand. Plus it never captures everything your breakdown needs, doesn’t allow for finding all the mistakes in script continuity, nor seeing the holes in your story as you dig deeper into the minutia. If you want to be a good producer, assistant director, or production manager, it all starts with understanding this process.

In order to eventually schedule and properly budget your film, you need to break down each scene in your script by its elements. From actors and extras to sets and wardrobe to blood FX and lighting gags, anything and everything you will need on set must be accounted for. This class will teach you how to breakdown a script by hand. No expensive programs or laptops needed. I’ll bring the breakdown sheets, you bring the pens and paper for notes. Those with software programs are more than welcome to bring their laptops. You can work on your own script or one will be provided.

Once your film has been properly broken down, you can create a rough schedule to help determine how long your film will take to shoot, how long you’ll need to book actors and crew, rent equipment, materials, and services, how many locations you’ll need to find, etc. Attendees from the Breaking Down a Script class will take their breakdowns and learn to schedule efficiently, as well as effectively. There are many ways to schedule a project, and they all depend on a number of variables. You’ll learn what to look for and how to create a solid schedule from which to budget.

Once again, no computer software is necessary. You bring your breakdown from the previous class, a straight edge ruler, sharpened pencils, an eraser, scissors or a box cutter, and a sheet of white poster board. That is all you’ll need to successfully translate your breakdown into a schedule for your film. Doing this by hand is no more labor intensive than learning to use and input the same information into MovieMagic or Gorilla software. It’s all the same process and the foundation you’ll need for using any software program. Those with laptops and software programs are welcome to bring them. You can work on your own script or one will be provided.

Budgeting isn’t a formula. Each project is different, but some basics do apply. You start with a complete breakdown and a rough schedule. Without doing that work, you can’t properly estimate the cost of your production. How long will it take to prep, shoot, and wrap? How many days will you need the actors and extras? How many days do you need at each location? How many wardrobe changes per actor plus duplicates will you need? What about props and set dressing rentals? All these budgeting questions and more will be covered in this class.

Again, no budgeting program is needed. A sample blank budget will be provided to discuss the line by line needs of a typical indie production. Using the day out of days and element reports generated from movie magic software examples, this class will show you how to use information generated during breakdown and scheduling to help you craft the right budget for your project. Those with laptops and budgeting software may once again bring them.

TAKE ALL 3 CLASSES FOR $435 GENERAL ADMISSION ($330 for ATLFS & GPP Members)